Singer's band mate 'lied over club fight'

By Stewart Payne

12:01AM BST 17 Oct 2003

A singer with the pop group Girls Aloud was accused yesterday of showing "misguided loyalty" to Cheryl Tweedy, her band mate, who is charged with racially aggravated assault on a nightclub lavatory attendant.

Nicola Roberts, 18, was with Tweedy when the alleged assault occurred and told a jury that she saw her friend hit twice by Sophie Amogbokpa, who worked at The Drink in Guildford, Surrey.

Only after the second blow from the 39-year-old attendant did Tweedy, 20, retaliate, said Miss Roberts.

Patricia Lees, prosecuting at Kingston Crown Court, suggested to Miss Roberts in cross-examination: "Out of a misguided sense of loyalty to your friend you have unfortunately got your story wrong and elaborated on it by saying there were two punches and you are now stuck with it? I suggest you threw her a lifeline and she grabbed it.

"Having made that story up you were put in a very difficult position trying to help your friend. You couldn't say to the police you lied, could you?"

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Miss Roberts replied: "At the end of the day it is my life, my career. I'm not going to lie for anyone."

The prosecution has alleged that Tweedy struck Mrs Amogbokpa and used racially abusive language. The singer has denied making racially offensive remarks and has said she only hit the attendant after she was hit first.

Miss Roberts, from Runcorn, Cheshire, said she heard Tweedy say "fucking bitch" but never heard her use the word black. Tweedy, from Heaton, Newcastle, denies racially aggravated assault and an alternative charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The case continues.